Boys 2 MENtors Curriculum Manual: A young men's journey to self-empowerment and discovery through interactive activities and life-skills lessons

Boys 2 MENtors is a leadership program for middle and high school boys. This curriculum manual comprises 50 interactive sessions that address social-emotional learning, leadership, and Common Core standards and that provide opportunities to link to the school day curriculum. Based on research on male adolescent development as well as direct classroom experience and application, the program has been designed to be facilitated over the course of a school year, engaging young men mentally and providing a distinctly physical component, sometimes light, sometimes rigorous. The curricular framework is scaffolded through six components:

• LEAD UP—Introduction to leadership themes and expectations, creating a socially and emotionally safe and positive peer group. 

• WHAT’S UP?—Examining the diverse characteristics of identity among young men.

• STEP UP—Developing a sense of collaboration among the group and honing interpersonal relationship skills. 

• OWN UP—Developing a sense of pride and accountability regarding life choices.

• MAN UP—Determining the characteristics of a positive male role model.

• RISE UP—Creating a vision and actionable plans for the future.

Boys 2 MENtors has been field-tested in urban sites and has received accolades from participants and schools, reporting improvements in key areas that include peer connectedness, independent thinking skills, understanding the relationship between effort and excellence, and a range of protective factors such as future orientation and goal setting. The companion Boys 2 MENtors Student Workbook offers an opportunity for students to take ownership of their participation and build a body of responses to and reflections on themes relevant to their lives. The title, Boys 2 MENtors, refers to the development of young men into positive male role models—future mentors for other young men—and to the role of facilitators as exemplars and guides for boys participating in the program.